Sectional track and method of anchoring it



Jan. 2, 1940.

H. G. MARION E'I' AL SECTIONAL TRACK AND METHOD OF ANCHORING IT Filed Feb. 7 1958 Patented Jan. 2, 1940 PATENT OFFICE SECTIONAL TRACK AND METHOD OF ANGHORING IT Harold G. Marion and Christian F. Rcer, Bay City, Mich.

Application February 7, 1938, Serial No. 189,224

3 Claims.

The presentinvention relates to sectional track and means for anchoring it, and more particularly to alight weight track designed for use in buildings and limited spaces, and which can be readily laid, and to which sections can be added to provide a track of desired length.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide track securing means mounted on the removable track and engageable with the floor or surface on" which the track is laid, so that the floor or surface will .not be pierced, marred or otherwise mutilated by said track securing means.

Another object is to provide very simple, practical and economical suction means connected to, or mounted on, the track and by means of which the track can be secured in position. I

A further object is to provide a channel shaped sectional jointed track having two spaced apart, wheel engaging edges, so that the connecting joints may be staggered, enabling the track to be lengthened without the addition of other sections.

The above and other objects will appear as the specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing .in which we have shown the preferred embodiment of our invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout. the several views thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of our sectional track and anchoring means, the side wall being broken away to more clearly show the track anchoring means.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a reduced plan view showing a number of sections connected together to form a continuous track.

Fig. 5 is also a plan view showing the track formed of angles and constructed to be extensible.

Fig. 6 is .a section taken on the line 6-43 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is also a section taken on the line l.-'! of Fig. 5.

When laying linoleum it is necessary to cut and trim the edges and borders, so that they are straight and true and evenly fit the edge of the room in which it is laid; and when inserting feature strips, etc., it is necessary to cut relativelynarrow strips from the body of the material, and then insert a strip of different color or (crass-1o texture. 0bviously, these edges or strips must be cut straight and true, so that a smooth, unin- 1 "terrupted surface results when the job is com- -pleted,.and this iisaccomplishedby means of our Linoleum cutting machine on which we have made application for, Letters ,Patent, .filed November 111, ,1937,-Serial No. 174,017 issued as Patent No. 2,149,925 on February 28, 1939.

With machines which requires accurate and true :travel, and more particularly .in connection with machines Whicharedesigned for useinconnection with a material having a smooth, finished surface which must not be marred or pierced by a securing means, it is necessary that some means be provided on the track or in connection therewith, which is easy to apply and/or release, which does not mar the surface of the material, and which securely holds the track in its set position, it is also desirable that the tracks have staggered joints, so that double grooved rollers may travel thereover withoutjarring or afiecting the horizontal alignment of the operating or cutting machine with relation to the track, and this we have accomplished in our improved sectional track and track securing means in which the numeral 8 designates one section of a channel shaped track, the ends of each section being cut away to form opposed projecting legs 9, so that when the track sections are placed in end to end abutting relation these legs readily fit the formed legs 9 of the companion track section, thus staggering the joints It], so that the cutting machine may travel thereover without jarring or affecting the alignment of the cutting machine (not shown) with relation to the track, and these legs are of suiiicient length so that when the sections are placedxin end to end relation with the adjacent section or sections they will form a straight, true track.

The track securing means is in the present instance mounted on the track proper, spaced apart openings I! being provided in the web of each section and a slightly bowed, fiat resilient strip I 2 is secured to the web by means of screws 13. A suction cup I4 is mounted on each end of the strip I2, and these cups are in direct vertical alignment with the openings ll provided in the track, so that when the suction cups are forced downwardly they will engage the surface of the linoleum i 5, or other surface on which the track is .laid, and will tightly cling thereto, although it may be necessary to slightly dampen the surface where the cups engage to close any pores which might admit air to the suction cup.

In practise the cutting line is first determined,

after which the track sections are laid end to r end on the material to be cut, so that the cutting member of the machine (not shown) is in alignment with the cutting line, then by forcing the driven cutting machine along the track, the material will be accurately out so that a smooth, straight joint is provided.

It will, of course, be obvious that the suction members may be connected to the track in various ways, but we find the method as shown to be very satisfactory, as there is no side pressure on the track and they present no hindrance to the machine travel.

In Figs. and 6 and 7 of the drawing we have shown a slightly different extensible track construction. This is constructed of angles 16 and II respectively, the web l8 of each angle being cut away as at H), and a flat, horizontally disposed plate 20 connects these angles, one shouldered end of said plate being anchored in the angle it, while the opposite end is also shouldered and is slidably mounted in a slot 2| provided in the angle ll. It will, therefore, be obvious that these angles may be moved longitudinally with relation to each other and the track extended accordingly. The anchoring means is identical with that used on the track 8.

Inasmuch as the track is laid in rooms and spaces of various widths and lengths we find it desirable to make the sections in difierent lengths, so that combinations of sections can be I formed to fit any and all jobs.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that we have perfected a very simple, practical and economical sectional track and secur ing means for the purposes intended.

What we claim is:

1. A track of the character described adapted to be laid on a strip of material and means for anchoring said track, said means including'resiliently mounted suction cups connected to the track and engageable with the material on which the track is laid.

2. A track of the character described adapted to be laid on a strip of material and comprising a plurality of sections, means for anchoring said sections, said means comprising resiliently mounted suction cups connected to the track sections and releasably engageable with the material on which the track is laid.

3. A track of the character described adapted to rest on a fioor and comprising a plurality of channel shaped sections arranged in abutting. end to end relation, spaced apart openings in each section, and suction cups resiliently mounted on each section in vertical alignment with the openings and adapted, when pressed into engagement with the floor, to firmly anchor the sections in position.

HAROLD G. MARION. CHRISTIAN F. REER. 

